St Pius X Catholic Parish Primary School Unanderra eNewsletter

Dear Parents and Caregivers of St Pius X,

As anticipated, this term is proving to be both a busy and memorable term for the St Pius X school community. Over the past four weeks, we have hosted numerous events that have highlighted our sense of community and brought our school vision to life: "With faith as our guide, we nurture hearts and empower minds." And last week’s "Mass with the Bishop" was a perfect example of this.

St Pius X had the honor of hosting the annual "Mass with the Bishop," a significant event that unites schools from across our diocese to celebrate the Catholic educational journey of diocesian Year 6 students. The event was a great success, thanks to the hard work of many. A big thank you goes to Mrs Louise Sartor and Mrs Karen Harley, for their meticulous planning and coordination for the event. We also extend our appreciation to our Year 6 teachers and all the support staff involved in various aspects for their dedication and enthusiasm, which made the day memorable for all our Year 6 students.

We would also like to extend a special thank you to the Edmund Rice Band for the entertainment they provided upon our return to school. Their music was a wonderful way to wrap up the day.

We are very proud of our Year 6 students, who displayed reverence and maturity throughout the event.

Looking ahead, our Year 5 students are preparing for their exciting trip to Canberra this week. This journey will take them to several key national sites, including Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, and Questacon. These visits are designed to deepen their understanding of Australia's history and governance, and to inspire a greater appreciation for our nation's heritage. The trip promises to be both educational and enjoyable, providing our students with valuable experiences outside the classroom. We are confident that they will represent St Pius X with the same pride and enthusiasm that our Year 6 students have shown.

Mrs Chrostowski will be joining our Year 5 students and I will be Acting Principal during this time.

Book Week is fast approaching, and we will celebrate on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. This year’s theme, “Reading is Magic,” invites us to explore the extraordinary power of books. Through this theme, children will celebrate how reading can transform our imaginations, spark creativity, and transport us to magical places. Please keep an eye on Compass for more details about the exciting events planned for the day. I look forward to seeing the children dressed up in their wonderful costumes.

Thank you to all the students who put time and effort into creating a book for our "Book of the Year" competition. We have such talented students at St Pius X. Good luck to all entries.

Kind regards,

Christine Nunes - Acting Principal

Mass with the Bishop

On Wednesday 7th August, Year 6 students from across the diocese came to Immaculate Conception Church to celebrate a special mass together with Bishop Brian.

All students participated beautifully and we give special thanks to our school captains Joshua and Marlee for diligently fulfilling their job of introducing all of the visiting schools as part of the mass.

Bishop Brian shared with all of the students present that the celebration was the 'best by far' with all students sharing in the singing and celebration wholeheartedly.

At the conclusion of the mass all students and teachers returned to St Pius X for some hospitality and entertainment by the Edmund Rice Band. T

The day was a huge success and will go down in the memory books as a great day for all!

Feast of the Assumption - 15th August

Prayer

During this feast of the Assumption,

may we draw closer to Jesus and to his glory by allowing ourselves too to be humble instruments in our daily work,

in our conversations, in our victories and in our struggles.

All for the greatness of his Kingdom which we have a part in bringing to our world.

Amen

CROSSING UPDATE AND ROADWORKS

ARA Electrical HV Services will be carrying out power and lighting upgrades in our street over the coming week on behalf of Endeavour Energy and Wollongong City Council. They will be installing new electrical poles and street lights for the upcoming pedestrian crossing.

Access to the street will remain open, as traffic controllers will be on site to ensure safe passage through the work zone. Please exercise caution and remain vigilant for changed traffic conditions around our school until the work is completed on Thursday, August 22, 2024.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

IS YOUR CHILD READY FOR DIGITAL MEDIA?

Advice from the eSafety Commissioner

In today’s digital age, understanding when and how to introduce technology to your child can be challenging. To help guide you through this important decision, we recommend visiting the eSafety Commission's website, which provides valuable insights on age-appropriate digital media usage for children.

The website offers advice on assessing whether your child is ready for various forms of online engagement, including social media, gaming, and other digital platforms. It provides practical tips for ensuring that digital experiences are safe and suitable for their age, and emphasizes the importance of setting clear guidelines and monitoring their online activities.

Key points include:

Age-Appropriate Content: Understanding what digital content is appropriate based on your child’s developmental stage.
Setting Boundaries: How to establish rules and limits to help your child navigate their digital environment safely.
Open Communication: Encouraging ongoing conversations about online safety and responsible digital behavior.

For more detailed information and resources, please visit the it’s a great resource to help you make informed decisions about your child’s digital media use and to ensure they have a positive and safe online experience.

EC_ESP_First_Mobile_Phone_Flyer.pdf

EC_ESP_First_Mobile_Phone_Flyer _pdf 151.65 KB

	AUGUST
Thursday 15th-Friday 16th	Year 5 Excursion to Canberra
Wednesday 21st	Book Parade 11.45am - ALL WELCOME
Tuesday 27th	Stage 1 Excursion to Botanical Gardens
Friday 30th	Father's Day & Feast Day Fun CANTEEN CLOSED
	SEPTEMBER
Thursday 12th	School Disco K- Year 2 4.30pm-5.30pm Year 3 - Year 6 5.30pm-7.00pm
Friday 20th	Kindergarten Excursion to Symbio - PARENTS WELCOME
Thursday 26th	LAST DAY TERM THREE-STUDENTS
Friday 27th	PUPIL FREE DAY
	OCTOBER
14th October	FIRST DAY TERM FOUR

Road Safety

Bus Zone

A reminder all who use the Kiss and Drop Zone on Cummins St that stopping in the BUS ZONE is not permitted at all. This area needs to remain clear at all times to ensure the safety and efficiency of our school transportation system.

The bus company has raised concerns about vehicles stopping in this zone in the mornings. Keeping this area clear is essential for the safety of our students and the traffic flow.

PRINCIPAL AWARDS

Brohdy O'Neill - 3B

Isla Adlington - 3B

Isaiah Habak - 3B

Millie Begonja - 3B

Claire Nobrega - 3R

Matisse Kidd - 3R

Valentina Mulaj - 3R

Emma Nobrega - 4R

Hamish Ryan - 4R

Jaxon Gafa - 4R

MACKILLOP AWARDS

Charlotte Mackay - 6R

Dexter Petrou - 6R

Rome Golfo - 6R

Vitaliy Riznyk - 6R

Congratulations to all of these students.

SPOTLIGHT ON LEARNING

As part of our Integrated Unit, Kinder has been learning about living things through creative and investigative play, real life and hands-on experiences. We have planted strawberries, sunflowers, rosemary, and beans in our back garden. We will investigate how living things respond to changes in the environment and how food and fibres get from farms to our dinner plates and homes.

In Creative Arts, Kinder has been using the 2000 New Year celebrations and fireworks as the stimulus for our Term 3 unit. Students have been experimenting with a range of media using paint, oil pastels, drawing and sculpture to represent celebrations in artworks.

In English, Kinder has been engaging with imaginative and informative texts. We have been exploring the features of texts to inform and to entertain. After reading Wombat Stew (imaginative text) and some recipes from ABC Kids Recipe Book (informative text), Kinder wrote their own recipe to make fairy bread. We then had the chance to follow our own recipe to make (and eat) our own fairy bread.

South Coast Athletics 13th August

Congratulations to the students who represented SPX at the South Coast Athletics on Tuesday.

Despite competing on a wet track, all students performed well and showcased great sportsmanship.

Well done to everyone involved!

Congratulations to the following students who will now represent South Coast Schools on Tuesday 20th August at the Diocesan Carnival.

Olivia Handley - 1500m

Nicholas Gauci - 1500m

Tom Fischer - 100m, discus, 200m

Mila McPherson - long jump, 100m

Zac McGranahan - long jump

Addison McPherson - shot put

Soccer Gala Day - 23rd August.

Both Junior and Senior teams will be participating at Unanderra Oval.

Supervision will be provided at the oval from 8.10am. Please drop students to the venue. First game is at 9am. The day is scheduled to finish by 2pm.
Students can bring their own food and drinks for the day, but canteen facilities will be available.
All players are to wear full uniforms including shin pads. Soccer boots or joggers can be worn. No jewellery is to be worn. Remember hat and sunscreen.
We are looking for parent volunteers to assist with managing the teams. If you can assist please email Mrs Hertsch hertschk01@dow.catholic.edu.au

In case of wet weather an announcement will be posted on the CEO Website (Sport), a text message will be sent out to your school’s sport coordinators and an announcement will be made on the radio station i98fm between 6:30-7am.

Book week

Father's Day Stall

Our students love the Father’s (and Mother’s) Day Stall. The stalls not only offer our kids the chance to choose their very own gift for their dad/grandad/father-figures, they provide an opportunity for them to exercise their independence and learn about spending money and making their own decisions.

The Father’s Day Stall will be held on Thursday, 29th August, from 9am in the school hall for our students.

Here’s what else you need to know:

The P&F have selected gifts for kids to browse and choose for their dads/grandads/father-figures. Items will be priced at either $5 or $10.

We offer a pre-payment option via TryBooking via https://www.trybooking.com/CUMYS or cash can be brought on the day.

We are seeking volunteers to help us make the stall a success. You don’t need to be a P&F member to help! We always need help on the day before the stall to help setup (Wednesday 28th from ~ 3:30pm to approx. 4:30pm) and on the day of the stall (from 9am to approx. 11am). Please email us at spxpandf@gmail.com or let the office know if you can help.

Participating and purchasing items from the Father’s Day Stall is optional. If you do not wish for your student to purchase any gifts from the stall, please communicate that with your student.

Please note, NO IOU notices will be given out at the stall. Students will be offered a colouring in or card of their choice if they are not purchasing anything at the stall.